


Solace

by riyuji



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Mercy76 Week, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 04:59:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9863942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riyuji/pseuds/riyuji
Summary: Jack Morrison had attended many ceremonies like this—one too many he would always say—but the same feeling of helplessness and loss never went away.





	

Jack Morrison had attended many ceremonies like this—one too many he would always say—but the same feeling of helplessness and loss never went away. He did his best to remain solemn, to remain collected because that was what he was trained to do under these circumstances. Because that was what was expected of him as Strike-Commander. 

And so he did as was expected, shaking hands and offering condolences to the relatives of the men and women who had lost their lives for the cause. That in itself was no easy task but he managed despite the hardship.Though he would be lying if he said that was the hardest part about it.

No, the hardest part was the funeral itself. Watching as the deceased were lowered into the ground. A wave of helplessness always rushed over him doing these times and thoughts along the vein of "What could we have done differently? Was there any way to prevent this?" plagued his mind. But he steadied himself, as that was what was expected of him.

His comrades—his friends—those who survived their fallen allies, stood on either side of him, Reinhardt to his immediate left and Dr. Ziegler to his right. It came as no surprise to see Reinhardt as steely-eyed as himself at that moment. He had been there since the beginning, after all. As tragic as it may have sounded, the larger man was used to this as well. What _did_ come as a surprise to Jack was Angela's composure. 

It had only been a short while since she joined the ranks of Overwatch and it was the first time she was attending a ceremony such as this with the rest of the team. She had always projected herself as an empathetic person, able to relate to those around her with such ease, that he honestly expected her to be hit the hardest among them all. And yet she stood tall, not only now by his side, but throughout the entire event. Perhaps he didn't give her enough credit. 

Jack had just returned his attention to the funeral when he felt the briefest of touches brush against his hand. He didn't react, not immediately, when that light touch was replaced by the weight of Angela's hand. 

He looked at her once more through the side of his eye and only then did he notice the tiniest of cracks in her calm facade. The deep intake of her breath, the discreet blinking back of tears, the tentative bite of her lower lip—all small actions one would not notice if they weren't paying attention.

Though his earlier musings were proven right, Jack took no pleasure in learning that she too was hurting. He wasn't certain whether she had lost someone she had become close to or anything like that, but he knew that a loss was a loss, regardless of the mourner's relationship to the deceased. Instead, even if it was not expected of him, he let her rest her hand in his, giving it the gentlest of squeezes.

The action was enough for Angela to meet his gaze from the corner of her own eye. He offered her a small reassuring smile, hoping it's enough to give her some ease. She nodded her thanks in return before breaking eye contact. 

The two remained that way until the ceremony, and though the atmosphere was that of a somber one, Jack was more than happy to offer a shoulder to lean against. Or a hand to hold on to.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally intended for Day 1 of Mercy76 week but it wound up fitting the theme for Day 2 better than I originally expected.
> 
> I will try to churn out new fics for the rest of the week which will depend on my work schedule but fingers crossed.
> 
> You can also find me on [tumblr](http://neutral-good.tumblr.com).


End file.
